


At Least One Friend

by luucarii



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, childhood AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 20:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11676489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luucarii/pseuds/luucarii
Summary: Akira notices a small brown haired boy staring out the window next door and decides he would be the perfect new playmate.





	At Least One Friend

**Author's Note:**

> AU where Goro ended up moving in right next door to Akira and they became friends over the summer. Goro ended up moving away at the end of the year and the two didn't meet again until Shujin's social studies trip.  
> I just can't help but give this boy some happiness.

Akira noticed him one day by accident. It was a boy, his age, maybe a year older, sitting by the window sill, head buried in his arms. It hadn’t been the first time he had seen a child by the window. According to his parents, their neighbors loved to adopt. Most of the kids would be around Akira’s age — 7 — or older. 

Akira knocked on the window and the boy looked up. He had large auburn eyes, slightly covered by his chestnut hair. Akira waved to him, smiled and the boy blinked at him twice before his head fell back in his arms. The boy looked up once he heard Akira fumbling with the window locks.

“Psst! Hey!”

The boy reached up and shakily undid the lock on the window. He seemed to be careful as he raised the window a few inches. Akira perked up. “I haven’t seen you before. What’s your name?”

“Akechi,” His voice was quiet, scared even. Akechi turned his head back quickly to check the door behind him before snapping back to Akira.

“What?” 

“A-Akechi!” The boy spat out quickly, mouth immediately clamping shut. Akechi looked terrified, his tiny body trembling. 

Akira slipped out of his bed and ran downstairs, past his mother who had been occupied by a news report to ask where her only child was going. Akira slipped through the slightly open door and ran out into the summer air, immediately making a right turn and skipping up the steps to his neighbor’s house. He struggled on the tips of his toes to press the doorbell and awaited patiently for an answer, hands behind his back.

The door opened and Akira grinned recognizing who was on the other end. It was one of the older boys who lived in the house. Akira always assumed the younger kids looked up to him as a brother as they called him whenever there were problems the kids didn’t want the parents getting involved in.

“Kurusu, did you walk over here by yourself?”

Akira nodded with a shrug, “you guys live right next door and my mom said it was okay to come visit.” The last part was a lie, Akira’s mother would no doubt scold him later for leaving the house without permission.

“All the kids are busy with chores, they can’t come out to play.”

“Is Akechi up there?” Akira asked, tilting his head to one side to peer through the crack in the door. He could see two kids, one crouching down and holding a dust pan while the other held a broom.

The boy seemed to give Akira a wary glance but turned his head in and waved for the attention of one of the kids. He mumbled the order to fetch Akechi before standing his ground in front of the door, leaning on one leg to block Akira’s view of the kids doing housework.

Seconds later, Akechi appeared behind the boy and Akira took a moment to observe his figure. Akechi was taller than Akira by maybe a few inches and his hair was near shoulder length, a light brown mixed in with a few blonde stands here and there. He wore a slightly oversized white t-shirt with a pair of old pajama pants underneath. 

“C-can I help you?” Akechi stammered, clearing his throat under the shadow of the older boy beside him.

“I wanted to know if you wanted to play with me,” Akira grinned, eyes closed, “I’ve got a basketball we could play catch with if you’re interested.”

“C-can I, B-brother?” Akechi murmured, voice stilly shaky. The word ‘brother’ fell with uncertainty, as if he was still trying to work out whether or not he addressed him correctly. The older boy scoffed a ‘yes,’ watching Akira playfully grab Akechi’s wrist. He flinched in response and gulped down a surprised wail. Akira broke off into a small dash, Akechi barely able to keep up behind him. He tired out quickly, Akira noticed as he looked back. Akechi gripped at his chest, nearly tripping over a small rock in the ground.

“You okay?” Akira asked, reaching out his hand. Akechi took it hesitantly and steadied himself. He mumbled something Akira couldn’t catch but he quickly brushed it off, suddenly slowing his dash down to a stop. Akechi bumped into him and nearly stumbled backwards.

“Wait here, I’ll be right back.” Akira’s dark eyes glinted with mischief as he suddenly ducked down into a crouch and slowly made his way into his house.

Akechi watched him disappear behind the door. He could faintly hear the ramblings of the news and the distasteful muttering of a woman who he assumed was the black haired boy’s mother. Akira slipped out of the open crack, holding a tiny circular plush.

“I couldn’t find my basketball and I didn’t want to get caught, so we’re gonna have to play with this.”

Akechi nodded as Akira tossed the plush to him. Akechi barely managed to catch it with both hands, having to trap it against his body in order to secure it. He quickly apologized before weakly tossing it back.

“Hey, so are you new or something? It’s been a while since they’ve adopted.” Akira questioned, skillfully catching the plush with his right hand before throwing it to Akechi.

Akechi managed to calm himself, if only a little, to catch the plush securely in both hands. He tossed it back before answering, “I only just got here the other day. My other foster family kicked me out.”

“Woah, what? Why? What for?"

Akechi gripped his wrist with one hand and frowned, shaking his head. Akira took that as a sign to keep his mouth shut. His mother always told him time and time again not to poke his head in other people’s business, that it wasn’t his concern and he should only worry about himself.

“Hey,” Akira smiled, tapping Akechi shoulder to grab his attention,”I could probably sneak inside and get some ice cream, you want?”

“What if you get caught?” Akechi mumbled, looking to his feet, “I don’t want you getting yelled at.”

Akira dropped back down into his crouch and shot Akechi a tiny smirk, “don’t worry about it, Akechi-kun!”

Akechi’s lips creased into a small smile and he chucked a little, watching Akira tiptoe into his house. Through the window, Akechi could see the small fluff of his black hair, sneaking into the kitchen. Akira’s tiny figure reached up into the freezer and pulled out two ice cream bars. His movements quickened and it was a wonder how his mother didn’t notice. Akira slipped out and handed one of the ice cream bars to Akechi with a toothy grin.

“Thank you.” Akechi tugged at the wrapper and quickly bit into the bar, chuckling as he cringed.

Akira laughed, “brain freeze hurts, be careful.”

Akechi smiled, wiping his lips with his finger, “it’s funny. How nice you are to someone you’ve just met.”

“What? You seem pretty cool, if only a little quiet.” Akira chuckled, taking a seat on the steps leading to his front door. He patted the empty spot beside him and Akechi nervously sat beside him, shyly nibbling at his ice cream bar.  Akira put one hand on his hip and raised his head, “and plus, if you’re new, you need at least one friend. And that’s where I come in.”

Akechi snickered, “thank you…uh…sorry, what was your name again?”

“Kurusu, but you can call me Akira,” Akira grinned and Akechi blinked at him, startled.

“Thank you, K-Kurusu-kun…”

“Hey!” Akira narrowed his eyes at him playfully and Akechi gave in with a timid smile.

“Thank you, Akira-kun."


End file.
